Leather graining, boarding, or softening machine



. J. E. SPENCER. LEATHER GRAINING, BOARDING, 0R SOFTENING MAC HINE.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. I917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNTTEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. SPENCER, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER GRAINING, BOAR-DZ Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. Srnncnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Leather Graining, Boarding, or Softening Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of leather after the hide or skin has been tanned, it is desirable in many cases to do what is known as boarding or graining or softening, and this is especially true of skins which have been pebbled, pa terned or embossed. The boarding, softening or graining operation is one which, so far as I have been able to ascertain, has never been successfully accomplished except by hand, although various "unsuccessful attempts have been made to perform it by machinery. The object of the present invention is to provide a simple machine by means of which the skins may be softened, grained or boarded cheaply and expeditiously, and the cost of manufacture thereof correspondingly reduced.

The invention, therefore, consists of such a machine, and from the detailed description which I shall subsequently give of the machine illustrated upon the drawings as embodying my invention, it will be seen that I have accomplished the objects stated. In carrying out my invention, I employ two movable friction carriers, which travel in opposite directions, and which are so located and arranged as to receive between them a folded skin. The frictional engagement of the carriers with the folds of the lskin causes one to be moved in one direction and the other in the opposite direction with the result that the flexure progresses to the edge of one of the folds. The carriers are movable bodily, one away from and toward the other, first, to permit the insertion between them of the skin, and, second, to clamp the skin between them and secure the necessary frictional contact of the faces of the carriers with the folds ofthe skin. When the two inner faces of the folds are brought into contact, by the closing together of the carriers, the frictional resistance to the relative movement of the folds is sometii'nesgreater' than the force exerted by the tra eiing' carriers in their fricticnal en Specification of Letters .Patent.

HG, OR SOFTENING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1920.

19, 1917. SerialNo. 192,085,

terial may be used in the construction of said member, and, in the embodiment of the invention which is herein illustrated, I employ for the purpose a thin sheet of brass or other metal, the surfaces of which may be polished and kept smooth. The skin is folded over the rear edge of said member when the carriers are separated, and, when the carriers are closed, the flexure of the skin is parallel to said edge and slightly separated therefrom. Thereafter the frictional engagement of the traveling carriers with the folds of the skin is sufficient to cause the two folds-tobe moved in opposite directions until the fiexure has progressed to the edge of the skin, and the skin is discharged. Preferably, though not necessarily, the carriers consist of endless belts each having a friction surface, and one of said carriers is mounted on a fixed frame and the other on a movable frame to permit their being bodily moved toward and from each other. d

On the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a machine constituting one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the machine.

Fig a illustrates, in sectional view, the operation of the skin, showing the two folds, the interposed anti-friction member, and the two carriers.

The machine comprises in its construction two open-work side standards 10, 11, suitably connected by such tie rods or braces as may be desired, the whole constituting afixed main frame of any suitable design. The movable or swinging frame consists of two side beams 12, 13. The rear ends of the side beams 12, 13, are pivoted upon a shaft 1 1 which is journaled in upwardly projecting rear portions of the main frame. The shaft 14L- constitutes the main driving shaft, and is provided with a pulley 15 by treated. The upper carrier is supported by an idler roll 18 at the front or outer end of the swinging frame, and upon a roll 19 fast upon the shaft 14 and at the rear or inner end of said frame. The outer or front roll may be made of wood, with metallic ends or heads, provided with bosses or trunnions 20 journaled in bearings 21. Said bearings are supported by gimbal or universal joints, indicated as a whole at 22, one member of each joint having a threaded stem 23 inserted in a tubular guideway or socket 24 formed in the front end of the beam 12 or 13 as the case may be. A rotatable nut 25, in threaded engagement with the threaded stem, serves to adjust the associated bearing longitudinally of the frame to take up slack in the carrier 17. The inner or rear roll may with convenience be .made of wood with metallic heads or ends splined upon the shaft 14.

The lower carrier is supported likewise by two rolls 26, 27, which are in construction like those at 18 and 19. The bearings 28 for the front roll are supported by gimbal or universal joints 29, a member of each of which has a threaded stem or shank extending into a tubular guideway or socket 30, in the front portion of the main frame, and adjustable by a nut 31. The rear roll is fast upon a shaft 32, journaled in bearings 33 formed as heads on shanks or stems 34 inserted in tubular guideways or sockets 35 in the rear portion of the side standards of the main frame. Nuts 36 in threaded engagement with said stems serve to adjust the bearings. It will be observed that the roll 18 is adjustable transversely of its axis in planes parallel to the plane of the axes of rolls 18 and 19; that roll 26 is similarly adjustable in reference to roll 27; and that the roll 27 is adjustable toward and from roll 19 in planes parallel to the axes of rolls 19 and 27. The plane of the axes of rolls 26 and 27 of the lower carrier is inclined from front to rear so that the top stretch of the carrier is rearwardly inclined to facilitate the insertion of the skins between the carriers in the manner to be subsequently explained.

The two carriers are so driven that the lower stretch of the upper carrier 17 travels rearwardly and the upper stretch of the lower carrier 16 travels forwardly. This is accomplished by connecting the shafts 14 and 32 for the rolls l9 a d 7 y a ain of the lower carrier.

of gearing comprising a gear 37 fast on shaft 14, a gear 38 fast on shaft 32, and an intermediate or idler gear 39 on a stud shaft 40. The intermeshing teeth of said gears are of suflicient length to permit the necessary adjustment of the roll 27 and its shaft 32. As a matter of practice, I prefer that the upper carrier shall travel at a slightly higher speed than the lower carrier, and the ratio of the gears 37 and 38 may be as 9* to 10. V Ordinarily the speed of travel of the carriers approximates seventy-five feet or more per minute.

The upper frame is swung manually about its axis, which is of course the axis of shaft 14, and to this end I provide a treadle consisting of a foot-board 40 and two levers 41,

'41, which are fulcrumed upon pivot studs 42,

42, extending inwardly from the lower portions of theside standards of the main or fixed frame. The levers project re rwardly from their fulcra and are equipped with adjustable counterweights 43. Between the foot-board and the pivot studs 42, extensibly adjustable connecting rods 48 extend from the levers 41 to the side beams of the movable frame, being pivoted to said parts by pivots 43, 44. Hence, by depressing the treadle, the movable frame may be depressed until the lower stretch of the upper carrier is closely adjacent to andparallel to the upper stretch On releasing the treadle, the movable frame is raised by weights 45 depending from arms 46 project ing rearwardly from the side beams of said frame. Stops 47 limit the upward move ment of said frame.

It is desirable to prevent the upper and lower confronting stretches of the carriers from yielding under pressure, and hence I provide plates 50, 51, one supported by the movable frame for the lower stretch of the upper carrier 17, and the other supported by the main frame under the upper stretch of carrier 16. The upper plate 50 is attached to cross bars 52, 53, 54, afiixed to the side beams of the swinging frame; and the lower plate 51 is similarly attached to cross bars- 55. 56. 57, supported by the side standards of the main frame. But, since the roll 27 and the carrier 16 are adjustable, it is necessary to provide for the adjustment of the said cross bars 55, 56 and 57 independently of each other. This may be accomplished by any suitable means, as by bolts 58, 58, passed loosely through the cross bar and screwed into the top of the side standard, and a set screw 59 screwed into cross bar, between the bolts 58, and resting upon the top of such standard. Each end of each cross bar is provided with the adjusting means just described.

I have heretofore pointed out that I employ an antifriction member-for interposition between the folds of the skin undergoing treatment, and I will now describe said member. It consists of a thin smooth plate 60, the front edge of which projects beyond the bite of the rolls 18, 26, and is strengthened and reinforced at 61. The plate is parallel to the upper or operating stretch of carrier 16, .and is capable of an up and down movement in relation to stationary guide pins therefor indicated at 62 and projecting upwardly through a rod 162 trunnioned on the main frame. The said plate is moved upand down by yokes 63 having a pin 64: at the end of each arm extending loosely through an aperture in the plate, near the front or rear edge thereof, as the case may be and as illustrated, and levers 65 to which the arch portions of said yokes are pivotally attached- The guides 62 are attached at their lower ends to the middle portions of the yoke. Said levers 65 are pivoted at 66 to the side standards 'and have studs 67 extending into and lying in slots 68 in bifurcated links 69 screwed upon the ends of rods 7 O pivoted upon the studs 44. The slots are so limited in length that, during the initial half of the upward or opening movement of the movable frame, the plate remains immovable, and, during the latter half of such movement, is moved into a position about midway between the two carriers. When the movable frame descends, the plate is lowered until it rests upon and accommodates itself to the lower carrier or the skin thereon, after which said frame continues to descend until the upper carrier engages the plate or the upper fold of the skin thereon. The plate may therefore be said to float, since it is loosely supported upon the supports at the ends thereof.

The operation of the machine in softening, graining or boarding skins is as follows: Assuming the carriers to be in motion and the upper frame to be raised as in Fig. 1, the operator throws a skin across the plate or anti-friction member 60 far enough so that the inner portion of the skin will engage and be driven under the rear of the plate by the lower carrier. He then depresses the treadle bringing the plate down upon the lower fold of the skin and the up per carrier down upon the upper fold of said skin. This forms a fiexure in the skin slightly in the rear of and parallel to the rear edge of the plate. Pressure upon the treadle is exerted with sufiicient force to in sure a frictional engagement of the oppositely traveling stretches of the carrier with the folds of the skin, whereupon the lower fold is fed forwardly by the lower carrier and the upper fold is fed rearwardly by the upper carrier, and the fle-Xure in the skin progresses to the edge of what was the top fold. If the speed of the two carriers is the same, the fiexure ofthe skin will remain constant in its relation to the edge of the anti-friction plate; but, if the upper carrier is traveling at slightly higher speed than the lower one, the flexure will gradually move rearwardly from the edge of the plate, and this I consider desirable as preventing any possibility of the skin being dragged across the rear edge of the plate. hen the skin has been fed from the machine, the upper frame is raised, and the skin is reversed edge for edge and thrown again into the machine. Then the skin may be treated endwise if desired to insure a complete softening of all parts of the area thereof. Inasmuch as the antifriction plate is supported at its opposite ends, leaving its front and rear edges free, it is appar ent that after the end of the skin has been passed to the front of the machine, it may be then passed up by the front edge and over the top of the plate back into the grip of the upper carrier, in consequence of which the skin may be subjected to a re-treatment. I

In Fig. at, the upper fold of the skin is indicated at a, the lower fold at 7) and the flexure at c. In this case, the skin has been partially treated. as shown, and the flexure, because of the higher speed of the upper carrier, is more remote rearwardly from the rear edge of the plate 60 than it was when the operation started.

I should not consider it a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention if other forms of endless belt carriers and antifriction members were substituted for those herein shown and described, but in such case of course the anti-friction member should be of such construction as to lie between and separate the inner confronting faces of the folds and consequently its engaging surfaces should be relatively great in area, in order that the friction generated by the engagement of the skin with the carriers should. be much greater than that generated by the engagement of the skin with the anti-him tion member.

The details of construction by which one carrier is moved to "aid and from the other are capable of great changes without departing from the scope of the invention, for it is relatively immaterial which carrier is moved toward and from the other, or just what mechanism is utilized to secure the actuation of the carriers, or the necessary adjustments of the various parts of the machine.

lVithout limitation thereto, it may be stated that a machine such as herein described is particularly applicable for graining pebbled, embossed or patterned leather, as it softens the material and brings up the grain and the pattern, as well as. if not better, than can be accomplished by hand work. All kinds of skins may be grained or soft ened or boarded by meansof the machine,

and they may or may not be tempered as desired, although I prefer to treat them when they are dry.

Those skilled inthe art will perceive, from the foregoing description of a machine enibodying'my invention, that such machine is simple, rugged and durable in construction, and is capable of properly treating a large number of skins per day. By forming the carriers in separate parallel sections, those sections which have been subjected to the greatest wear may be replaced at relatively small expense, without discarding the others. Such construction is therefore preferable to a simple belt equal in width to the length of the rolls which must be discarded if one part thereof becomes unfit for use notwithstanding that other parts thereof are substantially unworn or fit for use.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and desc *ibed a way of making and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is:

1. A leather-working machine comprising opposing endless carriers having their adjacent faces movable continuously in opposite directions and adapted frictionally to contact with a folded skin placed between them, and an anti-friction member arranged to lie loosely between said folds and between said car"iers during the operation of said carriers, whereby said carriers will simultaneously feed said folds in opposite directions in relation to each other and said antifriction member, thereby causing the flexure to progress continuously to the end portion of the skin.

2. A leather-working machine comprising a pair of endless carriers having their lower and upper stretches in confronting relation, means for actuating said carriers to cause said stretches thereof to travel in opposite directions, an anti-friction plate located between said stretches and arranged to lie between the folds of a folded skin placed between said stretches, and supporting means for said plate located at the opposite ends thereof for loosely supporting said plate.

3. A leather-working machine comprising two endless belt carriers having upper and lower stretches in confronting relation, means for separating said carriers to permit the insertion of a skin between them, means for moving said carriers in opposite directions, an anti-friction member interposed between said confronting stretches to lie be tween the folds of said skin, and having its front and rear edges free, whereby a skin may be caused to pass around both edges, and means for loosely supporting said plate but arranged to prevent edgewise movement thereof.

4. A leathenworking machine comprising a movable flat plate, guiding means at the opposite ends thereof, belt carriers on both sides of said plate, means for driving said carriers in opposite directions, and means for separating and bringing together said plate and said carriers in lines approxi mately perpendicular to said plate.

5. A leather-workin machine comprising a fixed frame, a movi ble frame, an endless carrier supported upon each of said frames, said carriers being in confronting relation to receive a folded skin between them, means for moving said movable frame to bring together and to separate said carriers, means between said carriers and projecting beyond the side edges thereof to separate the folds of said skin during the operation of said carriers, and means for driving said carriers in opposite directions.

6. A leather-working machine comprising two endless belt carriers arranged in con fronting relation with a stretch of one car-' rier facing a stretch of the other carrier, means for driving said carriers simultaneously in opposite directions, a floating plate arranged between said carriers over which a skin may be placed, and ieans for closing together said carriers and said plate.

7. A leatherworking machine comprising two endless belt carriers arranged in confronting relation with a stretch of one carrier facing a stretch of the other carrier, a plate arranged between said carriers over which a skin may be placed, means for closing together said plate and said carriers to clamp the folds of said skin between them, and means for driving said carriers in opposite directions but at different speeds.

8. A leathenworking machine comprising two endless belt carriers, arranged with a fiat stretch of one carrier confronting or facing a flat stretch of the other carrier to engage frictionally the folds of a folded skin. placed between them, means for driving said carriers in opposite directions to feed said folds in opposite directions and thereby to cause the fleXure'in the skin to progress to the edge of one of the folds and projecting beyond the side edges thereof, and means interposed between said folds to reduce the frictional resistance to the said feeding of said folds.

9. A leather-working machine comprising two endless belt carriers, arranged with a flat stretch of one carrier confronting or facing a flat stretch of the other carrier to engage frictionally the folds of a folded skin placed between them, means for driving said carriers to cause said stretches to move in opposite directions to feed said folds in opposite directions and thereby to cause the fleXure in the skin to progress to the edge of one of the folds, means inter posed between said folds to reduce the frictional resistance to the said feeding of said folds, including a plate arranged crosswise of the carrlers and held at its opposite ends so that the skin may be fed entirely around,

it, means for moving said carriers, one bodily toward and from the other, and means engaging said stretches to prevent their yielding when in engagement with said folds.

10. A leather-working machine comprising two endless belt carriers, arranged with a flat stretch of one carrier confronting or facing a flat stretch of the other carrier to engage frictionally the folds of a folded skin placed between them, means for driving said carriers in opposite directions to feed said folds in opposite directions and thereby to cause the fleXure in the skin to progress to the edge of one of the folds, loosely supported means interposed between said folds to reduce the frictional resistance to the said feeding of said folds, means for moving said carriers, one bodily toward and from the other, and mechanism for moving said interposed means into and out of active or operative position in respect of ,said carriers.

11. A leather-working machine comprising two endless belt carriers, arranged with a flat stretch of one carrier confronting or facing a fiat stretch of the other carrier to engage frictionally the folds of a folded skin placed between them, means for driving said carriers in opposite directions to feed said folds in opposite directions and thereby to cause the fieXure in the skin to progress to the edge of one of the folds, a plate interposed between said stretches in substantial parallelism thereto when the parts are in operative position, to he between said folds, means for loosely supporting said plate at the opposite ends thereof, and mechanism for separating and bringing together into skin-engaging position said carriers and said plate.

12. A leather-working machine comprising a main frame, a pair of rolls journaled on said frame, an endless carrier supported by said rolls, a second pair of rolls, a second endless carrier supported thereby, a stretch of one carrier facing a stretch of the other carrier, a movable frame for said second pair of rolls, a plate interposed between said confronting stretches, and means for moving said movable frame, said second carrier and said plate toward and from the first-men tioned carrier.

13. A leather-working machine comprising a main frame, a pair of rolls journaled on said frame, an endless carrier supported by said rolls, a second pair of rolls, a see ond endless carrier supported there y, a stretch of one carrier facing a stretch of the other carrier, a movable frame for said second pair of rolls, a plate interposed between said confronting stretches, and mechanism for moving said movable frame and said plate to space apart said carriers and said plate, for permitting a skin to be inserted between said carriers and to be folded about an end of the plate.

1%. A leather-working machine comprising a main frame, a pair of rolls journaled on said frame, an endless carrier supported by said rolls, a second pair of rolls, a second endless carrier supported thereby, a stretch of one carrier facing a stretch of the other carrier, a movable frame for said second pair of rolls, a plate interposed between said confronting stretches, guides for guiding said plate in a path substantially perpendicular to said stretches, means for moving said second carrier away from said first carrier, and means for moving said plate along said guides.

15. A leather-working machine comprising a pair of rolls, an endless carrier thereon having its upper stretch at an angle to a vertical plane, a plate adapted to rest loosely upon and be supported by said stretch of said carrier, a second pair of rolls, an endless carrier having its lower stretch facing the upper stretch of the first carrier and adapted to rest upon said plate, means for separating and closing together said carriers and said plate, and means for driving said carriers in opposite directions.

16. A leather-working machine comprising endless carriers having confronting stretches, mechanism for driving said carriers to cause the confronting stretches to travel in opposite directions, a transverse plate arranged between said stretches, means for separating and closing together said carriers, and means for moving said plate into a position to permit the skin to be passed over the inner edge thereof and beneath its under surface.

17. A leather-working machine comprising endless carriers having confronting stretches arranged at an angle to the vertical, mechanism for driving said carriers to cause the confronting stretches to travel in opposite directions, a transverse plate arranged to lie loosely between and parallel to said stretches, and means located outside of the side edges of the carriers for loosely holding the plate in place, so that it may accommodate itself to the confronting stretches of the carriers.

18. A leather-workingmachine comprising endless carriers having confronting stretches arranged at an angle to the vertical, mechanism for driving said carriers to cause the confronting stretches to travel in opposite directions, a transverse plate arranged to lie between and parallel to said stretches. and guides for said plate located outside of the side edges of said carriers.

19. A leather-working machine comprising endless carriers having confronting stretches arranged at an angle to the vertical, mechanism for driving said carriers to cause the confronting stretches to travel in opposite directions, a transverse plate arranged to lie between and parallel to said stretches, means for separating and closing together said carriers, and means for moving said plate relatively to said carriers.

20. A leathel working machine com-prising endless carriers having confronting stretches located one above the other, mechanism for driving said carriers to cause the confronting stretches to travel continuously in opposite directions, mechanism for separating and closing together said carriers, a transverse plate adapted to rest upon the lower stretch'and to be engaged by the upper stretch, and mechanism for spacing said plate above the lower stretch, when said carriers are separated, to permit a skin thrown over the plate to be carried by the lower stretch under the plate.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature.

JOHN E. SPENCER. 

